Insights

Two of Largest U.S. States Considering Wage Hikes for Home Care Workers

Posted on Friday, April 27, 2018 7:58 PM

Policymakers in Illinois and California are moving forward with plans to increase wages for some home care workers.

In Illinois, state senators passed legislation April 24th that wouldboost home care workers’ wages by at least $1 per hour by July 1, 2018. The current average is $10.98 per hour. The legislation also includes annual increases by at least $1 per hour each year until they reach about $15 per hour in 2021. The wage increases targets roughly 35,000 home care aids in Illinois’ Community Care Program and would likely be a step in the right direction in decreasing turnover rates.

The bill passed in the Illinois Senate with a 33-20 vote. A house bill introduced in February, has nearly three dozen representative sponsors.

In California, Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed a 50% wage increase for at-home nurses who provide care through the state’s Medi-Cal program, as part of his budget package introduced earlier this year.

Roughly 13.5 million individuals are currently covered by Medi-Cal, according to the California Department of Health Care Services. California legislators have until June to approve the budget proposal.

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